TIPS TO STOP WASTING FOOD

Food We Throw Away

We seniors throw away a lot of food we buy and never eat. A company called CleanMetrics.com recently reported on what we throw out annually… from $500 to $2000 a year for a family of four. Yikes! That’s a lot of wasted money. After paper and cardboard, food is the second largest component of waste in America.

If we stop and think about it, buying food that we don’t eat and eventually throw out is really self defeating. Most senior citizens live on a fixed income, and we don’t have extra money to throw away. In essence, that is what we are doing when we throw away food that we have spent money buying. So what can we do about it?

Here are several suggestions for those of us who want to stop wasting food:

SCJ suggested in a post a few weeks ago to store fresh produce in airtight containers in the refrigerator, and add a damp paper towel to the container to absorb extra moisture; this includes veggies like lettuce, spinach, kale, carrots, celery, etc.;

if fresh veggies are going to go uneaten, blanch them in boiling water, dip them in ice water, drain and freeze in small portions to be eaten later; these include asparagus, broccoli, carrots, beans, etc

if fruit is getting too ripe, cook it with sugar, cinnamon, cloves and make a fruit sauce for oatmeal and other hot cereals;

for leftover vegetables and meat, make a casserole or soup or stir fry; add your favorite herbs and spices;

watch your refrigerator daily for items that are perishable; shop frequently for perishables;

use leftovers from restaurants within 24 hours or freeze for use in casseroles or soups;

More ideas are available out there! Please comment and share your favorites with readers.